Live Music Archives - Page 103 of 103

Maritime CountryFest 2015 hit it out of the Square!

Officer’s Square that is 🙂

The Maritime CountryFest organizers put together a great lineup and Mother Nature provided a perfect summer day by which to enjoy it all!

The grounds were well set up to manage the flow of traffic and the volunteers worked well as a team and always had a smile to share. Thanks!

Unfortunately I was only able to catch the last two performances of the day but wow! They were amazing and the crowd was definitely enjoying every minute. Signature Sound did a fine job of getting the levels just right and the sound was great throughout Officer’s Square.

The Road Hammers (and me)

The Road Hammers were even better than I expected. They delivered a very professional show. Super talented and very entertaining as they covered the entire stage and actually climbed the rigging at one point. They did a great job of making Fredericton feel special by throwing in the city name and commenting on the beauty of the East Coast several times.

photo from Maritime CountryFest Facebook page

Johnny Reid was impressive even before hitting the stage. The stage was transformed with risers used by the 12 musicians performing with Johnny and all draped in what looked like silk. The draping served for some dramatic and interesting lighting. He had a 4 piece horn section, 2 guitar players, mandolin/fiddler, keyboardist and 2 backup singers. It was impressive both visually and in sound. Great musicians and a little throw back to the big band shows. His many love songs made for a romantic setting and had many couples swaying to the sounds. He had played in Scotland the night before and yet didn’t seem to short change us on performance for even a minute. In fact friends of mine got married Saturday and were in the Royal suite at the Delta hotel where Johnny was also staying and he agreed to stop in for pictures. He likely made their special occasion just that much more memorable.

My sappy heart was moved just a bit when Johnny broke out with his song Change the World so I’m sharing a version here for you to enjoy –

I never grow tired of the live music experience and this festival reminded me how much it means to us all in all its formats. There was a great exchange of energy between performer and patron – regardless of age or whether sitting or dancing. Looking around this large crowd and seeing so many sing along left me smiling and appreciative of the moment.

porta potty pals

I wanted to give a shout out to these fellas who made our wait in the porta potty line much more entertaining in their attempts to jump the line. Thanks!

ps – my battery ran out before Johnny’s set and that is why I borrowed a picture from the MCF page.

Well! That’s a wrap folks!

After 20 awesome years Mark Roberts’ East Coast Music Show is coming to an end and we will be celebrating with great local music at Dolan’s on Wednesday!

“Well after twenty years, the Mark Roberts East Coast Music Show is coming to an end. Much has changed in that time…starting with the music, how it’s purchased and consumed, and radio itself. So I’ve had my time. So many highlights over 20 years….I was nominated nine times for an East Coast Music Award (ECMA) award (never won one, leading to my nickname…the Susan Lucci of Fredericton!) I went to the ECMA’s at least 15 times in cities all over Atlantic Canada. One of the best was here in Fredericton when I had my own showcase at Dolan’s with acts like the Trews, Dave Gunning, Wintersleep, Charlie A’ Court and many many more. Dolan’s was packed all weekend. Been fortunate to have interview hundred of performers. Sunday June 28th will be the last show (#962)…and since the show airs twice on Sundays, that means over 19 hundred hours of 100% east coast music on the radio.”

I don’t want to let the occasion pass without mentioning how much Mark’s show has meant to both the musicians and fans on the east coast scene. The East Coast Music Show provided a place for bands to share their new work and a platform on which to establish themselves seriously in the music industry. This program did a lot to shine a light on our home grown talent and it will be missed. We will all have to work harder to fill the gap by promoting & supporting local musicians through all available avenues.

Mark & I have become friends in big part because of his support of local musicians. I was working with a local band when I invited him to come out to hear them in hopes he would promote them. He met his wife that night and that same band played his wedding! Music is powerful stuff!

For those who might not know, Mark released an album a few years back titled Kid from the Shore. He is a gifted songwriter and he had a stellar lineup of local musicians play on the album. As I recall his CD release party at Dolan’s was a whole lot of fun! The album is available on iTunes and you can pick up your own copy by clicking here.

It is only right that a farewell bash is being held Wednesday, June 24th at Dolan’s starting at 7pm, featuring Peter Hicks, Tangled Traditions, the Rockin’ Billies, Mark Roberts and the Shore Road Drifters and more…..

I’m sure it will be a great time and I’m sure we’ll be talking about the ECMS and it’s farewell bash for a long time to come.

THANKS MARK! See you soon!